media_artricles :: 2015

4x4 men in medal race

Trinidad and Tobago will bid to close off the 2015 IAAF World Championships in style at the Bird's Nest Stadium here in Beijing, China, today. At 8.25am (TT time), eight teams will line up for the final event at the global meet, the men's 4x400 metres relay, and T&T will be among them.

An automatic berth in the championship race was the country's reward for a fine effort in yesterday's qualifying round, Renny Quow, Jarrin Solomon, Deon Lendore and Lalonde Gordon teaming up for a two minutes, 58.67 seconds clocking. T&T finished second in the race, behind United States (2:58.13) and ahead of Jamaica (2:58.69).

The 2:58.67 run was the second fastest ever produced by a T&T quartet. With 400m finalist Machel Cedenio coming into the team for the final, the 2:58.34 national record should come under threat.

“We're focused on the top three,” Lendore told the Sunday Express. “Most likely to go top three we're going to have to break the record.

“We always have a shot at gold,” he continued. “No matter who's on the team, no matter the odds coming in, you always have a chance.”

Quow ran the leadoff leg yesterday, handing the baton to Solomon. T&T were up against it halfway through the race. But Lendore, back from injury and fresh having not competed in the individual 400m event, pulled his team back into contention, moving from sixth to third.

“It felt good,” said Lendore. “I'm kind of rusty still because I haven't run in a long time, but it's all about coming out here and getting this race in and shaking all the rust off. I've been training all the time. I've seen the guys run. It's given me more motivation to stay focused while I waited a week and a half till I raced.”

Lendore made his move, yesterday, close to the 200-metre mark.

“You always watch the race and hope for the best, but I have faith in my finish so I just tried to stay in contention and try to use my finish.”

The plan worked well, Lendore setting the stage for anchorman Gordon. At one stage, Gordon slipped from third to fourth, but a storming finish from the 2012 double Olympic bronze medallist propelled him back into third and then past Jamaican anchor Javon Francis at the finish line.

With Great Britain winning the opening heat in 2:59.05, T&T will go into today's final with the second fastest qualifying time.

Solomon, who earned 400m silver at the National Championships back in June, was not chosen to run the individual event here in Beijing.

“I was a little upset that I didn't get to run the open,” Solomon told the Sunday Express. “I felt that I earned my spot at the Championships, so once I got over that I just had to come and represent for Trinidad and run for the team, let everybody in Trinidad and Tobago know that I still am going to put my 110 per cent for the relay.”

Solomon donned his spikes yesterday despite a death in his family on Friday.

“I lost my (maternal) grandfather last night so I just had to come out here today and do the best I possibly could and give a good showing.”

Like Lendore, Solomon had to wait for his opportunity to get on the track.

“For me personally, it's a day to wake up and get my legs going. I haven't raced in three weeks but I had a decent run today.”

Solomon said he was prepared to go well under 45 seconds had he been chosen as one of the three T&T quarter-milers for the individual 400m.

“I trained for this meet and felt I was ready to run at least mid-44 like all the other guys. I know everybody's taking their game to another level so I've already started to take my game to the next level. That's my goal going into the next year, and finishing off this meet, to get my legs really going and being able to compete with the best guys in the world. That's my goal for the next couple years.”

Lendore said he is fully recovered from the quadriceps injury that prevented him from competing at the T&T Championships, and is in great racing shape.

“It's always good to have the extra legs, so I try to stay on the best of my game to go out there and assist Trinidad in these relays. The relay for sure I know I could go 44-mid, 44-low.”

Lendore actually split a solid 44.56 seconds yesterday, while Gordon blazed to a 43.82 anchor leg clocking. With 19-year-old Cedenio added to the mix, T&T seem set to be in the medal race.

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